Certifications
 | This page is currently under construction! Expected information may be missing, sections may be empty, prose may cut off abruptly, etc. |
 | For a list of all currently written certifications, see the relevant category. For detailed information on certifications, and who is certified on what, visit EnduraNet. |
A certification is a written document that acts like a course on how to perform a specific role, skill, or group of skills in Arma 3. They can be created by any member and are reviewed by EDC leadership before being made official. All certifications are accompanied by a checklist in the form of a Google Sheet with a standard format. The checklist contains a list of actions that, if observed as being satisfactorily performed without too much assistance, is indicative that the individual has learned the skills the certification aims to teach.
Purpose
The purpose of certifications is to encourage members to learn specific roles, like medic or pilot, in a structured and intentional way. As people get certified on more things, the overall competence of everyone increases, which then allows more immersive and engaging play. The carrot to encourage this is achieved through sign-up sheets. Non-casual operations will usually have a sign-up sheet for the roles relevant to the operation, and only a person with a certification for a role is allowed to sign up for it. This does not bar access to the role, though: sign-up sheets do not usually allow reserving every slot which may require a certification, and so when game day comes, slots that were not reserved in advance can be filled on a first-come-first-serve basis, certified or not.
Some certifications exist outside of this meta and simply aim to teach useful or fun skills. There is no incentive to take such certifications aside from padding out one's certifications on EnduraNet and/or a genuine interest in the skill.
Becoming certified
A prospective individual (P.I) should first find the certification on EnduraNet and double check it doesn't have a prerequisite. If the certification has pre-requisites the P.I does not have, they will need to attain all pre-requisites before they can move forward.
Presuming pre-requisites are not a barrier, the P.I should then go to the certification's wiki page. This can be found on EnduraNet or by looking in this category.
The relevant page will go over all the information and skills necessary to do the things the certification is addressing. This page will also have a link to the checklist mentioned above. The P.I is advised to review the checklistlist. From here, the P.I has 2 options. Both options are valid, and it is entirely preferential which one is chosen.
Individual study
The P.I will study the material and independently — or perhaps with some others assisting them — ensure that they can accomplish all items on the given checklist. Once the P.I is certain they can perform all items on the checklist, they may begin to solicit a C.M to certify them. C.Ms are not obligated to perform certifications, so the P.I may need to shop around. They may also consider posting in a more public location, like an Arma centered text chat.
Once a C.M agrees to do it and the day both individuals agree upon arrives, the C.M will make a copy of the checklist and then ask, in order from top to bottom, that the P.I perform all actions on the checklist. This will be done on the Arma server in the presence of the C.M. Once the checklist is filled out completely, the P.I is eligible for certification.
One-on-one training
A P.I may solicit for a C.M to train them on the material via extended one-on-one time on the Arma server as means of certification. A list of all C.Ms for a particular certification can be found by going to EnduraNet, clicking the "Search..." button, and selecting "By Certification". C.Ms are not obligated to provide one-on-one sessions, so the P.I may need to shop around. They may also consider posting in a more public location, like an Arma centered text chat.
Once a C.M agrees to do it and the day both individuals agree upon arrives, the C.M will make a copy of the checklist. Then, from top to bottom, the C.M will instruct the P.I on the checklist item and then ask the P.I perform the item in the C.M's presence. If the P.I accomplishes the item, it will be marked off. This continues until the checklist is fully completed. Once the checklist is filled out completely, the P.I is eligible for certification.
Afterwards
It is the sole discretion of a C.M whether or not the P.I has performed satisfactorily for either option above. If it is the C.M's belief that the P.I did not perform satisfactorily, they may politely state as such, and then ask the P.I to try again with them at a later date or with another C.M. If the P.I feels this unfair, they may refer the situation to an EDC leadership member for remediation.
If the C.M believes the P.I has performed all items satisfactorily, they will report in a designated location that the certification occurred. A member of EDC leadership will perform a quick sanity check that everything seems above board. Then, either they, or someone else who has access to the EnduraNet database, will mark the P.I as being certified. This makes it official and permanently recorded. The P.I can then review EnduraNet to see when the certification will expire, if ever.
Certification expiry
Some certifications are marked to expire after a certain number of days. This is determined by EDC leadership in conjunction with the certification's creator. EnduraNet keeps track of all expiration dates automatically. Once a certification expires, it is as if the member is not certified at all, and they must renew the certification.
Expiration has unique ramifications for SQ-1 and SQ-2. If they are expired for too long, at the discretion of EDC leadership, the member will eventually be brought back down to a cadet or enlisted, with all relevant restrictions imposed.